Saturn V/S-IC stage model and flight test base thermal environment.
Thermal and pressure environments analysis in Saturn S-1C stage base during flight tests, noting base gas flowfield and heating
Bender, R. L.↗
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Results for “Flight Test”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Flight test of high-density phenolic-nylon on a spacecraft launched by the pacemaker vehicle system
Flight tests of polyamide phenolic resins ablative nose cones
Witte, W. G.↗
Shuttle launched flight tests - Supporting technology for planetary entry missions
The feasibility of conducting Space Shuttle-launched earth entry flight tests to enhance the technology base for second generation planetary entry missions is examined. Outer planet entry environments are reviewed, translated into earth entry requirements and used to establish entry test system design and cost characteristics. Entry speeds up to those needed to simulate radiative heating levels of more than 30 kW/sq cm are shown to be possible. A standardized recoverable test bed concept is described that is capable of accommodating a wide range of entry technology experiments. The economic advantage of shared Shuttle launches are shown to be achievable through a test system configured to the volume constraints of a single Spacelab pallet using existing propulsion components.
Vetter, H. C.↗
An Analysis of the Speed Commands from an Interval Management Algorithm during the ATD-1 Flight Test
NASA's first Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) successfully completed a nineteen-day flight test under a NASA contract with Boeing, with Honeywell and United Airlines as sub-contractors. An Interval Management (IM) avionics prototype was built based on international IM standards, integrated into two test aircraft, and then flown in real-world conditions to determine if the goals of improving aircraft efficiency and airport throughput during high-density arrival operations could be met. This paper describes the speed behavior of the IM avionics prototype, focusing on the speed command rate and the number of speed increases.
Watters, Christine↗
3rd Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW-3) Flight Test Working Group
- Introduction - Background - X-56 Body Freedom Flutter Mechanism - Challenges in X-56 Flutter Modeling - Flight Test Working Group Challenge - Individual Presentations - Steve Massey - Jos Aalbers - Jared Grauer - Jeffrey Ouellette - Combined Results - Discussion
Jeffrey Ouellette↗
Flight test evaluation of advanced symbology for general aviation approach to landing displays
This paper describes a set of flight test experiments which were designed to evaluate the relative utility of candidate displays with advanced symbology for General Aviation IFR operations in the terminal area. This symbology was previously evaluated as part of the NASA Langley Research Center's Terminal Configured Vehicle Program for use in commercial airlines. The advanced symbology included vehicle track-angle, flight path angle and a perspective representation of the runway. These symbols were selectively drawn on a CRT display along with the roll attitude, pitch attitude, localizer-deviation and glideslope deviation. In addition to the CRT display, the instrument panel contained standard turn and bank, altimeter, rate of climb, airspeed, heading and engine instruments. The symbology was evaluated using tracking performance and pilot subjective ratings for an ILS capture and tracking task.
Downing, D. R.↗
Water impact laboratory and flight test results for the space shuttle solid rocket booster aft skirt
A series of water impact tests was conducted using full-scale segment representations of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft skirt structure. The baseline reinforced structural design was tested as well as various alternative design concepts. A major portion of the test program consisted of evaluating foam as a load attenuation material. Applied pressures and response strains were measured for impact velocities from 40 feet per second (ft/s) to 110 ft/s. The structural configurations, test articles, test results, and flight results are described.
Kross, D. A.↗
Liquid Motion Experiment Flight Test Results
The Liquid Motion Experiment (LME), designed to study the effects of liquid motion in rotating tanks, was flown on STS 84. LME was essentially a spin table that created a realistic nutation motion of scale-model tanks containing liquid. TWo spherical and two cylindrical transparent tanks were tested simultaneously, and three sets of such tanks were employed to vary liquid viscosity, fill level, and propellant management device (PMD) design. All the tanks were approximately 4.5 inches diameter. The primary test measurements were the radial and tangential torques exerted on the tanks by the liquid. Resonant frequencies and damping of the liquid oscillations were determined by sine sweep tests. For a given tank shape, the resonant frequency depended on fill level. For the cylindrical tanks, the resonances had somewhat different frequencies for the tangential axis (0.55 to 0.75 times spin rate) and the radial axis (0.73 to 0.78 times spin rate), and the tangential axis resonance agreed more closely with available analytical models. For the spherical tanks, the resonant frequencies were between 0.74 to 0.77 times the spin rate and were the same for the tangential and radial axes. The damping coefficients varied from about I% to 3% of critical, depending on tank shape, fill level, and liquid viscosity. 'Me viscous energy dissipation rates of the liquid oscillations were determined from sine dwell tests. The LME energy dissipation rates varied from 0.3 to 0.5 times the estimates obtained from scaling previous ground tests and spacecraft flight data. The PNDs sometimes enhanced the resonances and energy dissipation rates and sometimes decreased them, which points out the need to understand better the effects of PMD on liquid motion as a function of PMD and tank design.
Chato David J.↗
Participant Training for a Flight Test Evaluation of Interval Management
Interval Management is a concept designed to be used by air traffic controllers and flight crews to more efficiently and precisely manage inter-aircraft spacing. NASA, in cooperation with Boeing, Honeywell, and United Airlines, tested an avionics prototype onboard flight test aircraft. A critical need was identified to train the pilots participating in the flight test prior to the first flight. This paper documents the flight training regimen that successfully trained the pilots on the Interval Management concepts and flight crew procedures and suggests potential improvements to future training regimens for industry use.
Roper, Roy↗
Early flight test experience with Cockpit Displayed Traffic Information (CDTI)
Coded symbology, based on the results of early human factors studies, was displayed on the electronic horizontal situation indicator and flight tested on an advanced research aircraft in order to subject the coded traffic symbology to a realistic flight environment and to assess its value by means of a direct comparison with simple, uncoded traffic symbology. The tests consisted of 28 curved, decelerating approaches, flown by research-pilot flight crews. The traffic scenarios involved both conflict-free and blunder situations. Subjective pilot commentary was obtained through the use of a questionnaire and extensive pilot debriefing sessions. The results of these debriefing sessions group conveniently under either of two categories: display factors or task performance. A major item under the display factor category was the problem of display clutter. The primary contributors to clutter were the use of large map-scale factors, the use of traffic data blocks, and the presentation of more than a few aircraft. In terms of task performance, the cockpit displayed traffic information was found to provide excellent overall situation awareness.
Abbott, T. S.↗
Flight test investigation of the vortex wake characteristics behind a Boeing 727 during two-segment and normal ILS approaches
A series of flight tests were performed to evaluate the vortex wake characteristics of a Boeing 727 (B727-200) aircraft during conventional and two-segment ILS approaches. Flights of the B727, equipped with smoke generators for vortex marking, were flown wherein its vortex wake was intentionally encountered by a Lear Jet model 23 (LR-23) or a Piper Twin Comanche (Pa-30); and its vortex location during landing approach was measured using a system of photo-theodolites. The tests showed that at a given separation distance there were no differences in the upsets resulting from deliberate vortex encounters during the two types of approaches. Timed mappings of the position of the landing configuration vortices showed that they tended to descend approximately 91 meters (300 feet) below the flight path of the B727. The flaps of the B727 have a dominant effect on the character of the trailed wake vortex. The clean wing produces a strong, concentrated vortex. As the flaps are lowered, the vortex system becomes more diffuse. Pilot opinion and roll acceleration data indicate that 4.5 nautical miles would be a minimum separation distance at which roll control could be maintained during parallel encounters of the B727's landing configuration wake by small aircraft.
Garodz, L. J.↗
Experimental preparation for flight tests of the ramjet engine in an aircraft designed by A. S. Yakovlev in 1942-1944
Ground and flight tests of ramjet engines in 1942-1944
Putilov, K. A.↗
High-altitude flight test of a 40-foot- diameter /12.2-meter/ ringsail parachute at a deployment Mach number of 2.95
High altitude flight test of ringsail parachute with deployment at Mach 2.95
Eckstrom, C. V.↗
NASA general aviation stall/spin flight testing
A comprehensive program incorporating spin tunnel, static and rotary balance wind tunnel, full scale wind tunnel, free flight radio control model, flight simulation, and full scale flight testing was undertaken. Work includes aerodynamic definition of various configurations at high angles of attack, testing of stall and spin prevention concepts, definition of spin and spin recovery characteristics, and development of test techniques and emergency spin recovery systems. Some of the more interesting results to date are presented for the first airplane in the program in the areas of tail design, wind leading edge design, mass distribution, center of gravity location, and small airframe changes, with associated pilot observations. Design philosophy of the spin recovery parachute system is discussed, in addition to test techniques.
Patton, J. M., Jr.↗
Preliminary flight test investigation of an airborne wake vortex detection concept
NASA and the FAA have conducted a brief flight-test investigation to furnish preliminary data on the feasibility of transport aircraft wake-vortices' detection, with a view to improving airport capacity by reducing the longitudinal in-trail spacing between aircraft on landing runs. Attention was given to the possibility that the detection of strong vortices at a sufficiently early stage might furnish reasonable warning of impending aerodynamic effects. Preliminary results indicate that while maximum detection distances obtainable with wingtip-mounted flow-angularity vanes are slightly lower than had been predicted, improved detector algorithms may render them more sensitive.
Verstynen, Harry A.↗
Flight Testing of the Space Launch System (SLS) Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) Algorithm on an F/A-18
The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Flight Mechanics and Analysis Division developed an adaptive augmenting control (AAC) algorithm for launch vehicles that improves robustness and performance on an as-needed basis by adapting a classical control algorithm to unexpected environments or variations in vehicle dynamics. This was baselined as part of the Space Launch System (SLS) flight control system. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was asked to partner with the SLS Program and the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Game Changing Development Program (GCDP) to flight test the AAC algorithm on a manned aircraft that can achieve a high level of dynamic similarity to a launch vehicle and raise the technology readiness of the algorithm early in the program. This document reports the outcome of the NESC assessment.
Dennehy, Cornelius J.↗
Subsonic flight test evaluation of a propulsion system parameter estimation process for the F100 engine
Integrated engine-airframe optimal control technology may significantly improve aircraft performance. This technology requires a reliable and accurate parameter estimator to predict unmeasured variables. To develop this technology base, NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility (Edwards, CA), McDonnell Aircraft Company (St. Louis, MO), and Pratt & Whitney (West Palm Beach, FL) have developed and flight-tested an adaptive performance seeking control system which optimizes the quasi-steady-state performance of the F-15 propulsion system. This paper presents flight and ground test evaluations of the propulsion system parameter estimation process used by the performance seeking control system. The estimator consists of a compact propulsion system model and an extended Kalman filter. The extended Laman filter estimates five engine component deviation parameters from measured inputs. The compact model uses measurements and Kalman-filter estimates as inputs to predict unmeasured propulsion parameters such as net propulsive force and fan stall margin. The ability to track trends and estimate absolute values of propulsion system parameters was demonstrated. For example, thrust stand results show a good correlation, especially in trends, between the performance seeking control estimated and measured thrust.
Orme, John S.↗
Some Advances in Techniques for Free-flight Testing in Hypersonic Wind Tunnels
Free-flight techniques for hypersonic wind tunnel - measurement of local pressure and heat transfer and aerodynamic characteristics of model under steady-state ablation conditions
HYPERSONIC WIND TUNNEL↗